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The Slave Trade

In one of the last discussions on the slave trade, Sir
Charles Pole said, "while he deprecated the motion (for the abolition), he
rejoiced that it had been brought forward thus early, because it showed the
cloven foot which had been attempted to be concealed." To this remark Mr.
Sheridan very spiritedly replied, "An honourable baronet," said he, "has
talked of a cloven foot; I plead guilty to that cloven foot; but this I
will say, that the man who expresses pleasure at the hope of seeing so
large a portion of the human race freed from the shackles of tyranny rather
displays the pinions of an angel than the cloven foot of a demon."